WotC Forbes’ Brett Knight visits Wizards of the Coast.

Brett Knight sits down with Cynthia Williams and talks about the future of the company with Dungeons and Dragons.

As Cynthia Williams settles into her chair atop a bearskin rug, three dragons stand watchful guard over her shoulder—each no more than a foot or so tall but no less fearsome, with plastic flames pouring from one’s mouth. The glass cases lining the room are filled with more horrible creatures, shrunken down in plastic miniature: ogres and devils and hobgoblins. Drawers pull out to reveal hundreds of polyhedral dice, with 10, 12 or 20 sides. Where a jumble of letters adorns the wall outside, the push of a button illuminates a hidden message: “Those granted entry shall be rewarded.”

Brett Knight mentions several things we already know, that D&D sales are growing rapidly among a younger audience.

Arpiné Kocharyan, a UBS analyst, estimates that D&D is now responsible for $100 million to $150 million in annual revenue ... around 40% of D&D players are now female ... 24% of D&D players are between 20 and 24 years old ... revenue up a reported 35% in 2020 from 2019 and more introductory D&D products sold in 2021 than when they were released in 2014 ...

They discuss the opportunity to grow via the VTT and DnDBeyond and marketing and selling digital things, about doing movies and TV, etc. Brett includes some history and quotes from the D&D historian Petersen, from Tim Kask, and the Hasbro CEO, Chris Cox.

I'm not sure how much is new in it, it does seem rather light for folks that have been reading about D&D and Wizards, but it's nice to see Cynthia Williams get some press. Here's hoping to hearing more from her.

Could Dungeons & Dragons Be The Next Harry Potter? Stranger Things Have Happened

As it nears 50 years old, the role-playing game is more popular than ever—and Hasbro is looking to cash in by moving its wizards and warriors to TV, movies, game consoles and even virtual tabletops.

www.forbes.com

 

[darjr]

oh did you not see playtest 2? We completly rebuilt the bard (and somewhat ranger)

I can easily make a phb 2014 character and need to have to completely rework it with just 2 play tests...

Spoiler: just for ha has

take a dwarf bard that is 5th level. My spells known change. My insperation class feature changed, my song of rest gone, I now have to learn to prep spells off a list that is sub list of the arcane list. if I am 1 type of dwarf my race just doesn't exsist (but the elf subraces made the cut) and my background feature is gone and now I have to choose a 1st level feat... and if at 4th level I took alert so I can't be surprised, I can't take that version of alert at all...

but I don't insult people who see different I just show my way of seeing... in this very thread I was told I can't be taken serious.

Then please explain your prior post? How do these two posts even go together?

 

[GMforPowergamers]

Then please explain your prior post? How do these two posts even go together?

excuse me what doesn't go together? A poster referenced playtest 1 (get a feat at first level) so I asked if they saw playtest 2. I then explained (without like you did inferring they can not be taken seriously) my point.

Even this is against the rules (ones that seem to be enforced less and less) you are not directing ANYthing at what I said but coming at me personally (again)

let me quote and break down for you, if you don't know what I mean

oh did you not see playtest 2?

I was shocked that something was only referencing 1 of 2 playtests, but before I went any farther I didn't assume they were dumb, I didn't assume they were not 'serious' I asked if they saw it. I talk to plenty of people who do not keep up to date with every single thing WotC puts out. SO I can't assume that this poster HAS SEEN AND READ WHAT I HAVE...

so again I didn't insult yet.

We completly rebuilt the bard (and somewhat ranger)

now here is where I take from playtest 2 the information I am refrencing... in this case I didn't insult I didn't 'not take him serious' I showed my point... something he (or you) can feel free to counter point as long as you DON'T INSULT PEOPLE...

I can easily make a phb 2014 character and need to have to completely rework it with just 2 play tests...

this is really a theisis statement and can be made in 100 threads to respond in 100 ways. It in no way insults or 'doesn't take serious' the other poster.

Spoiler: just for ha has

take a dwarf bard that is 5th level. My spells known change. My insperation class feature changed, my song of rest gone, I now have to learn to prep spells off a list that is sub list of the arcane list. if I am 1 type of dwarf my race just doesn't exsist (but the elf subraces made the cut) and my background feature is gone and now I have to choose a 1st level feat... and if at 4th level I took alert so I can't be surprised, I can't take that version of alert at all...

this spoiler is literally labeled just for the fun of it (not in those words) and again is actuall fact from play test and in no way insults or 'doesn't take serious' any other poster.


So again I ask what about these post don't go together?

 

[darjr]

@GMforPowergamers one is insulting the other claims you don’t do that.

 

[MNblockhead]

@MNblockhead one is insulting the other claims you don’t do that.

Sorry, I'm not following. What post of mine is this directed at?

 

[Omand]

Sorry, I'm not following. What post of mine is this directed at?

I think @darjr had auto-complete for username not pick up the right username for a response. Based upon the way this conversation seems to be going.

Cheers

 

[darjr]

@MNblockhead @Omand

Yup. Apologies!

 

[GMforPowergamers]

@GMforPowergamers one is insulting the other claims you don’t do that.

plese show me where I insulted anyone (edit: disagreeing is not insulting... implying that someone must be jokeing is, out right saying as such should be against the rules but I guess it isn't, because you are not the first to get away with it)

 

[MockingBird]

The FAQ for 1D&D (if I'm not mistaken) only specifically calls out adventures and supplements for backwards compatibility. As much as I want the PHB 2014 to be backwards compatible I don't think it will for the most part. I have not seen WotC say it would be either. As far as the article goes, I think the writer misspoke and I don't feel like they have any inside info on anything. I would be surprised if they ever officially call it 6e. I could care less either way as long as it's good and the basics stay roughly the same as 5e.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

The FAQ for 1D&D (if I'm not mistaken) only specifically calls out adventures and supplements for backwards compatibility. As much as I want the PHB 2014 to be backwards compatible I don't think it will for the most part. I have not seen WotC say it would be either. As far as the article goes, I think the writer misspoke and I don't feel like they have any inside info on anything. I would be surprised if they ever officially call it 6e. I could care less either way as long as it's good and the basics stay roughly the same as 5e.

I don't think the name matters (anniversary edition, 5.5, 50th, 6e, 17e, 1D&D) what matters is a close to uniform undersanding (and as you put it I agree so I will pull it out and quote you again so it doesn't get lost.

calls out adventures and supplements for backwards compatibility. As much as I want the PHB 2014 to be backwards compatible I don't think it will for the most part. I have not seen WotC say it would be either.

and again the writer didn't say "I have sources off the record confirming wotc is calling it 6e behind the scense"
they said "in what would equate to a sixth edition"

 

[bedir than]

oh did you not see playtest 2? We completly rebuilt the bard (and somewhat ranger)

I can easily make a phb 2014 character and need to have to completely rework it with just 2 play tests...

Spoiler: just for ha has

take a dwarf bard that is 5th level. My spells known change. My insperation class feature changed, my song of rest gone, I now have to learn to prep spells off a list that is sub list of the arcane list. if I am 1 type of dwarf my race just doesn't exsist (but the elf subraces made the cut) and my background feature is gone and now I have to choose a 1st level feat... and if at 4th level I took alert so I can't be surprised, I can't take that version of alert at all...

Sure!

There's a new Bard. It doesn't mean that Bard14 no longer works. The power level, outside of the background feats is the same.
The mythology presented that the 14 classes can't coexist with the 24 classes has no basis in fact.